Panel support system for building structures

ABSTRACT

A RECTANGULAR GRID COMPRISING PREFERABLY UNIFORMLY SPACED VERTICAL COLUMNS, SPACING BRACKETS TO SUPPORT AND CONNECT SAID COLUMNS IN ADJUSTABLE SPACED RELATION TO A WALL OF BUILDING STRUCTURE, A SET OF VERTICALLY SPACED, VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE MOUNTING CLIPS CARRIED BY EACH OF SAID COLUMNS, A PLURALITY OF HORIZONTAL RAILS CARRIED BY HORIZONTALLY ALIGNED MOUNTED CLIPS, SAID RAILS BEING PROVIDED WITH HORIZONTAL PORTIONS HAVING ENGAGEMENT IN LONGTUDINALLY HORIZONTAL GROOVES IN PANELS OR SLABS TO HOLD THE LATTER IN FORWARDLY SPACED RELATION TO THE MENTIONED STRUCTURE WALL.

Feb. 9, 1971 MADL, JR 3,561,182

PANEL SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR BUILDING STRUCTURES Filed March 11, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 w 18 58 j I o 40 T Z2 17 a7 M V INVENTOR.

24- JOSE/ f/ M401, Jr?

Feb. 9, 1971 J.MAD1 ,JR 3,561,182

PANEL SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR BUILDING STRUCTURES Filed March 11, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOJE H M401, J2

Feb. 9, 1971 J. MADL, JR

PANEL SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR BUILDING STRUCTURES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 11, 1969 INVENTOR. JOSEPH/14401 JP.

BY @MM M ATTOP/VEY United States Patent 3,561,182 PANEL SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR BUILDING STRUCTURES Joseph Mad], Jr., 990 Volante Drive, Arcadia, Calif. 91006 Filed Mar. 11, 1969, Ser. No. 806,122 Int. Cl. E04b 2/60, 2/88 US. Cl. 52-479 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The anchoring of wall-facing slabs or panels to structural members in forwardly spaced relation to a support wall.

Description of the prior art It is known to afiix vertical, horizontally spaced struts to a wall or other part of a structure and to mount a set of horizontal channels on said struts so the flanges thereof fit into horizontal kerfs formed in the edges of the slabs or panels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present system provides several desired features over the prior art, the same in part comprising:

(a) An arrangement that provides for universal adjustability of the components of the construction, i.e., horizontal front-to-back adjustment of the support columns, vertical horizontally aligned adjustment of the slab-engaging rails, and laterally horizontal adjustment of said rails so that variations in the positions of the columns and the rails may be adjusted and, as adjusted, secured in place without the need for shimming;

(b) A system employing independent adjusting means for effecting the mentioned adjustment so that one adjustment may be made without affecting any of the others; and

(c) The provision of rail or track members which, while varying in the direction and arrangement of the slab-kerfengaging portions so that the kerfs of upper, lower and intermediate slabs may be conveniently engaged by said portions during assembly of the present means, have clipengageable portions that provide firm mechanical connection yet easy release for adjustability relative to said clips.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a panel support system embodying the above outlined features.

3,561,182 Patented Feb. 9, 1971 This invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts. which will more fully appear in the course of the following description, which is based on the accompanying drawings. However, said drawings merely show, and the following description merely describes, preferred embodiments of the present invention, which are given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a broken face view of the present panel-supporting system, a portion of the panels being broken away to show the grid structure.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged and broken perspective view of the lower left-hand portion of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged and fragmentary vertical sectional view showing a cut-away view of the grid as in the upper middle of FIG. 2.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views of forms of panel-engaging rails other than the ones shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 7 is a broken detail view of a modification of the front-to-back adjustment means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present panel support system is adapted for mounting on a building structure which is represented in the drawing by a base surface 10 and a rearwardly inset vertical wall 11, the degree of inset depending on the position of the plane occupied by a facing wall which, as will be come later evident, comprises a coplanar arrangement of panels or slabs 12 of rectilinear form which, at least along their upper and lower horizontal edges, are provided with kerfs 13. An alternative embodiment may omit such kerfs (see FIG. 6) for engagement with a modified form of the invention. Other structure portions, such as the portion 14 of FIG. 7, may be provided in vertically spaced relation as replacements for the wall 11.

The present panel support system comprises, generally, a plurality of vertically aligned mounting brackets 15 affixed to and extending from the wall 11, the same being arranged in a plurality of vertical rows thereof in which the brackets of the several rows are in horizontally aligned relation, a front-to-back horizontally adjustable clip 16 carried by each bracket 15, a column 17 disposed laterally adjacent each bracket 15 and operatively connected to the clips 16 of each vertical row of brackets, the connection 18 between each clip 16 and the column providing for relative vertical adjustment of brackets and column, a plurality of clips 19 carried by each column 17, vertically adjustable connections 20 between the clips 19 and said columns, a lower horizontal rail 21, and a plurality of intermediate horizontal rails 22 extending across the fronts of the columns 17, and a connection 23 for adjustably connecting the clips 19 and said rails for lateral adjustment of said rails relative to the columns, the lower rail 21 being provided with a flange 24 for engaging the lower kerf 13 of the lowermost panel 12 of the facing wall, and the intermediate rails 22 each being provided with a double flange 25 for engaging the kerfs of adjacent panels 12.

It will be noted, and it is preferred, that the brackets 15 are vertically spaced so that two rails 22 are located between two of them. Each said bracket, as shown best in FIG. 2, comprises a mounting plate adapted to be secured to the wall 11. Suitable anchor bolts, extending through clearance slots or holes in said plate, may b capped by nuts to effect such securement, and a metal channel 31 is preferably welded to said plate 30 and extends normally forward therefrom. Said channel is preferably provided with inturned flanges 32 along the longitudinal edges of the flange walls 33 of said channel, reentrantly bent extensions 34 being provided along the longitudinal edges of said flanges 32.

The clips 16 comprise angle members each having a horizontal leg 35 in flatwise contact with the inturned flanges 32, and a vertical leg 36 extending from the forward edge of leg 35 and provided with a lateral extension 37 having a hole therethrough. The clips 16 are adjustable along the channel 31, the adjustment being locked, as de sired, by connections 38 which, as shown in FIG. 1, comprise bolts 39 extending through holes in the clip legs 35 and threadedly engaged with nuts 40 slidingly keyed to the edges of the reentrantly bent extensions 34. When the bolts are tightened, the adjustments are locked. By such means, the clips are individually adjusted to desired forwardly spaced positions relative to the wall 11.

The columns 17 may be formed as metal channels similar to and, if desired, of the same cross-sectional form as the channels 31. In such case, the open sides of the columns, formed by the flanges 34 and the reentrantly bent extensions 35, face forwardly, i.e., away from the wall 11. It will be seen that said columns 17 are located in lateral contact with the aligned sides of the channels 31 and abutted against the lateral extensions 37 of the clips 16. The connections 18, similar in design to the abovedescribed connections 38, secure the columns, as adjusted to said lateral extensions 37, thereby connecting said columns 17 to the brackets 15.

The clips 19 are formed as angles each having a vertical leg 41 engaging the flanges 32 of a column 17 similar to the engagement of leg extension 37 of the clip 16, and a horizontal leg 42 extending over the tops of the rails 21 or 22, as the case may be. The mentioned adjustable connections 20, similar to the described connections 38, have locking engagement with the columns 17 in a manner similar to the engagement with said columns of the locking means 20.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rails 21 and 22 are each formed as an aluminum extrusion having a channel portion 43, an extension 44 from the latter portion, and the mentioned flange 24 on the rail 21 and flange 25 on each rail 22. The channel portion 43, along the longitudinal edge of the channel flanges 45 thereof, is provided with inturned flanges 46 from which reentrantly directed and preferably sharp-edged flanges 47 extend. The similarity between the characteristics of the channel portions 43 and those of the channels 31 forming the brackets 15 and columns 17 can readily be seen. It will, therefore, be clear that the connections 23 between the legs 42 of the different clips 19 and the channel portions of the respective rails 21 and 22 provide for ready longitudinal adjustability of said rails before the bolts 39 and nuts 40 of the connections 23 are tightened to lock the adjustment.

In all such connections, the nuts 40 are preferably provided with grooves 48 which key to the flanges 47. The slots 49 shown in the legs 41 may be provided as well in the legs and extensions of legs of any of the clips 16 or 19, as desired.

Since the facing wall formed by the panels 12 framing the same and which depend on the true coplanar disposition thereof on the engagement in their kerfs 13 of the flanges 24 or 25, as the case may be, the above-described tri-planar adjustment, effected without shims or like fillers, enables proper coplanar disposition of the columns 17 by a front-to-back adjustment in one plane, truly horizontal disposition and parallelism of the intermediate rails 22 with respect to the lower rail 21 by adjustment in a second vertical plane, and lateral adjustment of the rails in a horizontal plane normal to the front and back adjustment.

The form of FIG. 7 shows means for adjusting the front and back position of the columns 17 in which angle straps 50 are aflixed to the columns and the same are provided with slots 51 which engage studs 52 embedded in the structure portion 14, nuts 53 locking the adjustment. This alternative means shows a manner of adjusting the columns 17 directly relative to the structure, whereas the earlier described adjustment was between a bracket 15 affixed to the structure and the columns.

While the foregoing has illustrated and described what is now contemplated to be the best mode of carrying out the invention, the constructions are, of course, subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A grid for mounting a facing comprised of rectangular panels having kerfs in their horizontal edges and holding the same in spaced relation to a structure wall and above a base surface, said grid comprising:

(a) a plurality of columns having slots on the front faces thereof,

'(b) a set of vertically spaced horizontal rails in close adjacency to the mentioned front faces of the columns,

(c) a plurality of clips, each comprising an angle member provided with one connection to a column and having vertical adjustment to lock the horizontal position of the rails to the columns, and provided with a second and independent connection to a rail to lock and hold the same as laterally adjusted relative to the columns, and

(d) a forwardly spaced portion on each rail to engage the kerf-provided portions of the facing slabs,

(e) a channel portion with inturned and reentrantly directed longitudinal flanges, the mentioned independent connections including nut members engaged with said flanges, and bolts to draw said nut members into locking engagement with said flanges,

(f) the two connections of each clip being mounted one on each leg of the mentioned angle member,

(g) the rails being disposed beneath the angle member connected thereto, and

(h) a plurality of brackets holding said columns forwardly spaced from and adjustable relative to the mentioned structural wall.

2. A grid as defined in claim 1 in which the forwardly spaced kerf-engaging portion of each rail comprises longitudinal flanges.

3. A grid as defined in claim 1 in which:

(a) the columns and brackets are in positions laterally adjacent to each other, and

(b) a plurality of clips connects the columns and brackets so positioned.

4. A grid as defined in claim 3 in which each columnand bracket-connecting clip is provided with two connections, one adjustably horizontally joining a bracket and laterally adjacent column, and the other adjustably vertically joining said bracket and column.

5. A grid as defined in claim 4 in which the columnand bracket-connecting clip comprises an angle member, each leg of which is provided with a c nnection, one to the bracket and the other to the column.

5 6 6. A grid as defined in claim 5 in which the leg of the 2,438,140 3/ 1948 Auten 52-508 last-mentioned angle member that mounts the connection 3,266,209 8/ 1966 Zibell 52-487 with the column is provided with a lateral extension mounting said connection and extending substantially FOREIGN PATENTS across the front face of the column. 5 940 791 19 3 Great Britain 52 2 5 References Cited JOHN E. MURTAGH, Primary Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Us Cl XR 1,997,092 4/1935 Dulfy 52-496 2,109,520 3/1938 Awbrey 52-378 0 52483, 487, 496, 665 

